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3/11/13

Successful Entertaining: Table Top Ideas

This month, I am moving my blogger blog to a WordPress design! So, I have been going through old posts and deleting, re-categorizing, or updating.... It's a lot of work!! Nevermind the absences here and there!

This coming weekend I am teaching a class on Successful Entertaining. I have been working on an eBook for a couple months now, and I'm hoping to have it ready for you to read in a couple weeks! Yay!

I love entertaining; planning dinner parties, and making adorable crafty items to go along with the theme. But, what I have noticed is when guests come over, they have NO IDEA how simple it is to plan and host a party. Follow a few of my simple tips and tricks, and your guests will be leaving your house saying "that was the best party I've been to in years!"

One great place to start when planning a party or dinner is thinking about your table top. Usually, the food is the focal point. And you have to have a great table to put you food on...

Here are a few ways I have dressed my tables and the few items I must have each time:

1. Leading Lines:

In photography, leading lines are a focal point for adding depth to your photos. You want the eye to start in one spot, and lead to the next. The same is true for decorating a table. Our table is long and wide, therefore the perfect canvas for leading lines down the center of candles and floral arrangements.

2. Focal point:

While you want leading lines, you also want something keeping your table "grounded." You want your largest feature to keep to the center. Keep in mind, when using your table for dinner parties, keep your arrangement no taller than the mouth of the opposing person. That is one of my biggest pet peeves! Sitting down to dinner and not being able to see the person across from you!

3. Pattern:

Just like with dressing your self, a table needs to be dressed with pattern, texture and simplicity. This table runner added a great pattern to plain white cloth.

4. Texture:

Using a lightly patterned white cloth and beautiful floral arrangements this table was almost complete. The candles added ambience and extra height, but the faux diamonds added texture to the table. They also added an elegance that was missing!